Word
Hvor dyr giften end er, kan den ikke bekæmpe skadedyret.
Meaning
However expensive the poison is, it cannot combat the pest.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Hvor dyr giften end er, kan den ikke bekæmpe skadedyret.
være
to be
den
it (common)
ikke
not
kunne
to be able to / can
Questions & Answers about Hvor dyr giften end er, kan den ikke bekæmpe skadedyret.
What does end do in this sentence, and how does this structure work?
This sentence uses a concessive degree clause. By combining hvor (how), an adjective like dyr, the subject giften, and the particle end, it creates the meaning however expensive. The word end is the crucial piece that shifts the meaning from a simple how to however.
Why is the adjective dyr used here instead of dyrt?
The adjective dyr modifies giften (the poison). Because gift is a common gender noun (an en-word) in the singular, the adjective takes its base form. If the noun were neuter (an et-word), it would be dyrt.
Why is the word order kan den instead of den kan in the second half?
This is the V2 (verb-second) rule in action. The entire dependent clause Hvor dyr giften end er counts as the first position in the main sentence. Therefore, the main clause verb kan must come exactly in the second position, forcing the subject den to come right after it.
Does end always mean ever or however in Danish?
No, learners usually first meet end meaning than in comparisons, such as større end (bigger than). It only takes on this ever meaning when used as a particle in specific structures like hvor ... end (however) or hvad ... end (whatever).